1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a large-format thin-walled ceramic tile to be attached to the limits of a room with the aid of attachment elements overlapping the edge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It was only possible to attach ceramic tiles to the limits of a room with the aid of attachment elements overlapping the edge of the tile up to now if the format of such tiles was relatively small, e.g. in the range of 60.times.60 cm, since the load is only removed via the statically unfavorable attachment points at the edge. This type of attachment involves pointwise load entry, which results in high tension peaks that may damage the tile. This could be remedied by using thicker-walled tiles because they are capable of taking up a higher load. However, such a solution leads to an increase in the weight of the tile material and thus to higher costs both because of the increased material consumption and because of the increased firing expenses. Furthermore, the production of thick-walled but at the same time large-surface ceramic tiles with dimensions greater than 60.times.60 cm also involves considerable, as yet unsurmounted difficulties due to the uneven shrinkage over the surface and thickness of the tile that occurs during drying and firing.
In awareness of these difficulties, the applicant has already proposed attaching the relatively thin large-format ceramic tiles produced by him, which have sizes up to 125.times.180 cm with a thickness of only 8 mm, to the limits of a room by means of ceramic mounting elements which either
(a) are attached to points of attachment determined according to static points of view on the side of the ceramic tile facing away from the visible side by means of a ceramic glaze having a melting point lower than the quartz transition point (573.degree. C.), the fired ceramic tile provided with the corresponding fired mounting elements having been again heated to a temperature lower than the quartz transition point (of German patent application no. P 35 29 235.0), or
(b) are attached to points of attachment determined according to static requirements on the side of the ceramic tile facing away from the visible side by means of a ceramic glaze whose coefficient of thermal expansion is at least approximately equal to that of the ceramic tile (of German patent application no. P 35 43 088.5), or
(c) are attached to points of attachment determined according to static requirements by means of a ceramic glaze whose coefficient of thermal expansion is at least approximately equal to that of the ceramic tile, the mounting elements being fired ceramic elements serving to take up a metal attachment means (of German patent application no. P 35 44 473.8).
In all these proposals of the application, the attachment is thus effected with the aid of ceramic mounting elements attached to the side facing away from the visible side.
However, it is occasionally desirable to have an alternative allowing for attachment with the aid of attachment elements overlapping the edge.